Redesigned Headphones to be Shipped Alongside Next-Generation iPhone

Tinhte.vn, a Vietnamese site, has posted a video showing off what they claim are redesigned headphones, which will be released alongside the next-generation iPhone later this month.

The video that was posted originally came with commentary, but that version has since been removed and replaced with a version with no audio. However, sites such as MacRumors managed to post the translation of the commentary before it was pulled. Here is that translation:

In my hands are the new earphones for the iPhone 5 that is about to come out – Apple’s next generation of iPod [sic]. These will replace the current earphones that are on the market. These are manufactured at Phax Co factory in Vietnam. They have the appearance of a horse’s head, not like earbuds. When they are worn, they have a much smaller profile. They have the appearance of a fully integrated, single unit – there’s no part that looks like it would come apart – not like earbuds; the integrated design is characteristic of Apple products. Here I have the old earphones for comparison. The new ones are much smaller; when they are worn, they do not hurt the way earbuds do. You can see on the old ones the surface is a separate part that looks like it can be detached – not like the small surface of the new one. The old earphones were mostly made in China, with some in Vietnam. But the new ones are clearly made in Vietnam. (Reading from the wires): “Designed by Apple in California, assembled in Vietnam.”

The report notes that these new headphones are being manufactured at a Foxconn plant in Vietnam. The site even posts an image with “Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in Vietnam” printed on the cord. Tinhte.vn has gotten their hands on a pre-release Apple hardware in the past, and they certainly seem convinced that these headphones are the real thing.

The last time Apple updated their headphones, the basic ones that ship with every iPhone and iPod, was in 2006. That design, the current design, was an improvement, but the longevity of these headphones is suspect. I’ve never had a pair last more than 8 months. Hopefully, if this report is correct and Apple is indeed planning to release new headphones, they will be more robust than the current headphone design. That’s not even touching on the subject of comfort- anything would be an improvement over the headphones Apple gives us in that regard.